Week of December 16

We are headed into the Winter Break at full speed.  First, we will have a series of dress up days this week to build community and show our Scout Pride.  Please encourage your student to show their school and holiday spirit by participating.  The themes for each day are as follows:

• Monday-Flannel Day
• Tuesday- Comfort, Cozy Day
• Wednesday- Ugly Sweater Day
• Thursday- Holiday Socks
• Friday- Holiday Hat Day ($1 donation to Interfaith Good Samaritan Required) 

In conjunction with our winter spirit week activities, the Student Leadership Team will also be hosting a chili cook-off on Wednesday, December 18th.  There is no cost to enter and there will be prizes for the winners.  If you are entering the contest, please bring your chili in a crock pot so it stays warm and bring a serving utensil.  You don't need to enter to attend.  If you are a chili connoisseur, please come to sample all of the delicious entries and to vote for your favorites!

There will be an incentive day for students on Friday, December 20th.  Students will be eligible to participate in the incentive day if they are effectively demonstrating their learning and getting to class on time on a regular basis.  The purpose of the incentive day is to build community and help students get caught up on their work before winter break.  To be eligible for the incentive students must have less than two tardies between 11/18 and 12/18.  They also must be earning all A's and B's.  If a student has C's they can still earn the incentive as long as they don't have any missing assignments after 11/18.  Students earning D's and F's, with more than two tardies, and/or with C's and missing assignments, will be given time to work.

Finally a few nuts and bolts related to the coming week.  The lost and found in the cafeteria has grown exponentially since fall conferences.  We will be cleaning it out over the winter break. Please encourage your student to look for their missing items this week.  Also, there will be no Scout Learning Lab or late bus on Wednesday and Friday this week.  We hope you all have a safe and happy winter break.  We are looking forward to great things in 2020 with your continued support.

Upcoming Events:

• December 18:     No Scout Learning Lab or late bus-staff meeting
• December 18:     Chili Cook-Off
• December 20:     No Scout Learning Lab or late bus
• December 23:     Winter break begins
• January 6:           Classes resume
• January 17:         End of 1st semester
• January 20:         No school-professional development
• January 21:         Start of 2nd semester 

Week of December 9th

It's another great week as we prepare for the final week of the year (2019 anyway)!.  I hope you had the chance to attend the band and choir concerts on Monday night.  The students put on a couple of amazing performances.  Special shout out to Mrs. Adamson, Mr. Sieger, and Mr. Hopkins for helping our students be great.  You can see a few shaky videos from the concerts on the LMS Facebook page.

Ms. Paytoe Gbayee's art class created the tree pictured here for the 27th Annual Happy Holidays Laramie Festival of Trees.  Museum and Mr. Brenneman crafted the Scout tree topper.  This beautiful tree earned the museum staff pick award and is now on display in the LMS library.  It's Scout-acular!

Our lost and found is over flowing.  Please encourage your student to look for their missing items before the break.  The lost and found will be cleaned out before students return in January.

In preparation for the winter break, we will have a series of dress up days next week.  Please encourage your student to show their school and holiday spirit by participating.  The themes for each day are as follows:

• Monday-Flannel Day
• Tuesday- Comfort, Cozy Day
• Wednesday-Ugly Sweater Day
• Thursday-Holiday Socks
• Friday-Holiday Hat Day ($1 donation to Interfaith Good Samaritan required) 

The Student Leadership Team will also be hosting a chili cook-off next Wednesday, December 18th.  There is no cost to enter and there will be prizes for the winners.  If you are entering the contest, please bring your chili in a crock pot so it stays warm and bring a serving utensil.  You don't need to enter to attend.  If you are a chili connoisseur, please come to sample all of the delicious entries and to vote for your favorites!

There will be an incentive day on Friday, December 20th.  Students will be eligible to participate in the incentive day if they are effectively demonstrating their learning and getting to class on time on a regular basis.  The purpose of the incentive day is to build community and help students get caught up on their work before winter break.  To be eligible for the incentive students must have less than two tardies between 11/18 and 12/18.  They also must be earning all A's and B's.  If a student has C's they can still earn the incentive as long as they don't have any missing assignments after 11/18.  Students earning D's and F's, with more than two tardies, and/or with C's and missing assignments, will be given time to work.

Upcoming Events:

• December 18:     No Scout Learning Lab or late bus-staff meeting
• December 18:     Chili Cook-Off
• December 20:     No Scout Learning Lab or late bus
• December 23:     Winter break begins
• January 6:           Classes resume
• January 17:         End of 1st semester
• January 20:         No school-professional development
• January 21:         Start of 2nd semester 

Week of December 2

Happy December!  It's a great week to be a Scout as we sprint towards the end of the calendar year.  Our Thanksgiving break was extended by a day due to the weather.  Students should plan to attend school on Monday, April 13th to make up the snow day.  This day was originally a professional development day.

We have some excitement on tap this week. The winter dance is Friday from 3-5.  All LMS students in good standing are encouraged to attend.  Admission is $4 and concessions will be available.  Please email Kevin if you would like to chaperone.  The middle school is also entering a float in Friday's parade of lights.  If you are downtown on Friday, please keep an eye out for the LMS float.

The Student Leadership Team will be hosting a chili cook-off on Wednesday, December 18th.  There is no cost to enter and there will be prizes for the winners.  If you are entering the contest, please bring your chili in a crock pot so it stays warm and bring a serving utensil.  You don't need to enter to attend.  If you are a chili connoisseur, please come to sample all of the delicious entries and to vote for your favorites!

There will be an incentive day on Friday, December 20th.  Students will be eligible to participate in the incentive day if they are effectively demonstrating their learning and getting to class on time on a regular basis.  The purpose of the incentive day is to build community and help students get caught up on their work before winter break.  To be eligible for the incentive students must have less than two tardies between 11/18 and 12/18.  They also must be earning all A's and B's.  If a student has C's they can still earn the incentive as long as they don't have any missing assignments after 11/18.  Students earning D's and F's, with more than two tardies, and/or with C's and missing assignments, will be given time to work.

Upcoming Events:

December 2                      PTO Meeting
December 6                      Winter dance
December 18                     No Scout learning lab-staff meeting 
December 18                     SLT family night
December 23                     Winter break begins
January 6                           Classes resume 

Week of November 25

It's Thanksgiving week and the LMS staff has a lot to be thankful for. We are thankful that you share your students with us each and every day.  We are thankful for your support.  We are thankful that you make your student's education a priority and we are thankful for the opportunity to be a part of the LMS community.  We wish you a happy Thanksgiving and hope you have an opportunity to spend time with those you care about.

Twelve week progress reports have been sent out.  It's amazing to think that we are 2/3 of the way through the first semester.  If your student has one or more deficiencies in their grades, please contact their teachers to arrange for additional time and support in Scout Learning Lab (SLL).  There is no SLL or late bus on Tuesday, November 26th. The next Saturday SLL Is on 12/7.

The month of December will be a busy one. The LMS PTO will meet on Monday, December 2nd.  All LMS families are cordially invited. Please note the next dance is Friday, December 6th.  Admission is $4 and concessions will be available.  All students in good standing are encouraged to attend.  LMS dances are from 3-5 in the gym and are not date dances.  If you are interested in chaperoning, please email Kevin or call me at 721-4430. 

The Student Leadership Team will be hosting a family night on Wednesday, December 18th.  More details are to come.  Also, we will be having our next incentive day on Friday, December 20th.  Students will be eligible to participate in the incentive day if they are effectively demonstrating their learning and getting to class on time on a regular basis.  The purpose of the incentive day is to build community and help students get caught up on their work before winter break.  To be eligible for the incentive students must have less than two tardies between 11/18 and 12/18.  They also must be earning all A's and B's.  If a student has C's they can still earn the incentive as long as they don't have any missing assignments after 11/18.  Students earning D's and F's, with more than two tardies, and/or with C's and missing assignments, will be given time to work. 

Upcoming Events:

●        November 26                   No Scout Learning Lab or late bus 

●        November 27-29              No school-Thanksgiving

●        December 2                      PTO Meeting

●        December 6                      Winter dance

●        December 18                     No Scout learning lab-staff meeting 

●        December 18                     SLT family night

●        December 23                     Winter break begins

Week of November 11

We would like to thank all Veterans for their service and sacrifice.  The freedoms we love, cherish, and teach come at a price.  Thank you for giving to our country.  Your service is appreciated.

The student leadership team is holding a canned food drive this week  Students who wish to participate should bring nonperishable items to Mr. Miller's room during the week of the 11th. The grade that brings in the most food items will be rewarded with  pizza at lunch.  The SLT got a head start when they went trick-or-treating for food on Halloween.  Check out their haul below!

Middle school students, staff, and families are rabid consumers of social media.  As with many things, how adults interact and respond to social media is very different than how our students do.  Adult brains are physically different from adolescent brains and therefore we process the feedback we get from social media very differently.  This article from Psychology Today summarizes the impacts of social media on middle level brains and offers suggestions for monitoring use.  If your student uses social media, please consider monitor their usage time, following their accounts (all of them as they probably have more than one Instagram and Snapchat account), and encouraging non-tech social interactions.  There are many positive aspects to social media, but it can also have a very negative impact on students and their learning.  Please help us create and sustain a healthy school community by monitoring your student's social media.

Upcoming Events:

●        November 15                     Hathaway Day

●        November 27-29                No school-Thanksgiving

●        December 2                        PTO Meeting

●        December 6                        Winter dance

●        December 18                      No SLL due to staff meeting

●        December 18                      SLT family night

●        December 23                      Winter break begins

Week of November 4

Our schedule this week is a little outside of the norm.  On Tuesday, November 5th students do not have school due to professional development.  Wednesday, November 6th is an 'even' day and Thursday, November 7th, is an 'odd' day.  Friday, November 8th, is an 'all' day.  We always have S4S on block days, so students will have S4S this Wednesday and Thursday.

The student leadership team is organizing a canned food drive the week of  November 11th-15th.  Students who wish to participate should bring nonperishable items to Mr. Miller's room during the week of the 11th. The grade that brings in the most food items will be rewarded with  pizza at lunch.

The district recently sent out a link to all families to complete the 2019 School Climate and Satisfaction Survey.  If you did not receive the link, it can be found on the front page of the District website.  Please take the time to complete the survey.  It provides us with valuable feedback at the school and District level.  This feedback allows us to identify areas of celebration and areas of growth.  Please contact Kevin at 721-4430 if you have any questions regarding the school climate and satisfaction survey.  We look forward to your feedback.

Upcoming Events

• 11/5:              No school-professional development 
• 11/11-11/15   LMS food drive 
• 11/27-29        No school- Thanksgiving
• 12/6               Winter dance
• 12/18             Family night
• 12/23             Winter break begins

Week of October 28

Halloween is approaching quickly and many students would like to show their spooky spirit by wearing a costume to school.  This is something that has been done in the past and we will continue this year.  In order to accommodate learning, costumes must meet a few conditions.

Costumes must adhere to the district dress code.  Weapons, gore, face paint, and masks are prohibited.  Students must be able to participate in classroom activities and not disrupt the learning of others.  For example, a giant inflatable T-Rex costume makes it hard to sit and for others to see.  Students may have to change for certain classes such as PE and industrial arts.  We are looking forward to a safe and festive Halloween at LMS. If your student has any specific questions regarding their costume, please direct them to one of the principals.  

Also, this week is the cut off for late and missing work from the first part of the school year.  If your student has any late or missing assignments they need to be in by the end of the week in order to receive credit. Extra help is available during Scout Learning Lab after school daily and this Saturday from 8-11.  

The weather has turned colder in typical Wyoming fashion.  If the windchill is above zero, we will allow students to go outside during lunch.  Many middle school students continue to dress for the summer during the winter.  Please encourage your student to dress for the weather.  I know they often feel that they are only walking from the bus to the school, but buses break down, schools lose power, things happen.  Shorts and sandals certainly look cool, but they are not the best in an emergency situation. 

Upcoming Events

• 11/5:            No school-professional development 
• 11/27-29      No school- Thanksgiving
• 12/23           Winter break begins

Week of October 21

Tonight, is our first family night of the year as the Student Leadership Team is hosting Family Bingo Night from 6:30-7:45 in the LMS cafeteria.  All LMS families and students are encouraged to attend.  There is no cost and prizes will be awarded.  Please join us for fun, games, and popcorn at bingo night!

Fall conferences and our first incentive day of the year are also this week. On Wednesday, students are to report to their S4S teachers first thing as we are having an incentive day.  The criteria for the incentive  are grades and tardies.  If students are earning a D or an F, they will have time to receive support to improve their academic standing.  Students who have excessive tardies will also receive support during the incentive time  to help them make it to class on time.  Students who earned the incentive will report to the gym for a movie.  Concessions will be available. At the end of the day, all students will report to the gym for a pep rally. Celebration is an important part of our school culture and we are looking forward to all of these activities on Wednesday. Students will be dismissed at 11:23 on Wednesday to give teachers time to prepare for conferences.

Fall conferences will be held on Wednesday and Thursday.   On Wednesday, conferences begin at 3:30 and go until 7:30.  Conferences on Thursday go from 8:00-7:00.  Please use this link to sign up for individual conferences with your student's teachers.  Conferences are 10 minutes in length. There is no school on Friday, October 25th. The LMS PTO is providing meals for teachers during conferences.  Please use this link or this link to sign up to help them out.

Hopefully we will see all of you at bingo night and conferences.  Please remember there is no school for students on Thursday or Friday.  There will be no Scout Learning Lab or late bus on Wednesday due to conferences and there is no Saturday Scout Learning Lab on the 26th.

Upcoming Events

• 10/21: Family night 
• 10/23: Fall conferences-students dismissed at 11:23
• 10/24: Fall conferences-no school for students 
• 10/25: No school
• 11/5:   No school-professional development 

Week of October 14

The LMS blog is back after a bit of a hiatus due to technical difficulties.  Six week grade reports were mailed out last week.  If you did not receive one, please contact the school at 721-4430 to make sure we have your correct address.  We mail home grade reports periodically to keep families informed of their students progress and to share other information.  In today's highly electronic world, it was discussed at the latest PTO meeting that  this might not be the most efficient way to share information.  Please click on this link to complete a short survey about how you would like to receive information.

Fall conferences are next Wednesday and Thursday.  Students will be dismissed at 11:23 on Wednesday, the 23rd, to give teachers time to prepare for conferences.  On Wednesday, conferences begin at 3:30 and go until 7:30.  Conferences on Thursday go from 8:00-7:00.  Please use this link to sign up for individual conferences with your student's teachers.  Conferences are 10 minutes in length. There is no school on Friday, October 25th. The LMS PTO is providing meals for teachers during conferences.  Please use this link or this link to sign up to help them out.

Certainly conferences are a great opportunity for us to share information with families, but it is also a great time for you to share information with us and to ask questions.  How does my student interact with the other students in class?  How does what my student is doing in class relate to their lives outside of school and their future studies?  What can we do at home to support our student's learning?  What soft skills can my student improve on?  Here are some things that would be helpful for you to know about my student.  These are all great talking points for a successful conference.  We hope to see you all next week.

Halloween is approaching and many students would like to know if they can wear costumes on the 31st. The short answer is yes with some conditions. Costumes may not distract or prevent learning.  For example, wearing a giant inflatable t-rex costume makes is hard to sit in a desk or for those behind you to see.  Students in PE or industrial arts need to be able to safely participate in those classes and may have to change out of their costumes.  Costumes must comply with the District dress code.  Masks, face paint, gore, and weapons (yes even light sabers) are not allowed.

Upcoming Events

• 10/21: Family night 
• 10/23: Fall conferences-students dismissed at 11:23
• 10/24: Fall conferences-no school for students 
• 10/25: No school-conferences
• 11/5: No school-professional development 

Week of September 23

We are starting off our sixth week of school already!  It's hard to believe how fast the time is going.  Students do not have classes today due to professional development.  We are learning about computational thinking and how it relates to all subject areas.  We hope to see all of our students and families at Laramie High School from 6:00-7:00 for the Ignite My Future family night.  Students of all ages and their families are encouraged to attend.

Picture retakes are on Tuesday, October 1st.  All students who wish to have their pictures retaken should bring their pictures to exchange for new ones at no additional charge.  Pictures will be arriving this week. Student who missed the original picture day will have their pictures taken on the 1st.  You can order pictures by going to mylifetouch.com.  Our picture day ID is CG219392Y0. 

Math Counts, the LMS competitive math team, begins practice on Tuesday the 24th.  Practice runs from 3:15-4:15 and all LMS students are eligible to participate.  Our team has been very successful over the last few years (State Champs!).  We encourage interested math-letes to report to the cafeteria after school on Tuesday.

If you're reading this blog, you're probably already up to speed with what's happening at LMS.  But just in class, I'd like to encourage you  to follow the LMS and LMS PTO Facebook pages.

Upcoming Events

• 9/23:   Ignite My Future family night
• 10/1:   Picture retakes 
• 10/21: Family night 
• 10/23: Fall conferences 
• 10/25: No school 

Week of September 16

There is no school for students next Monday, September 23rd due to professional development.  LMS staff will be engaged in a day of learning with Discovery Education and TATA Consultancy called Ignite My Future.  Families are invited and encouraged to attend the Ignite My Future family night from 6:00-7:30 at Laramie High School next Monday.  During these 90 minutes of hands-on family activities you will learn, innovate, and explore. There are free resources for families to encourage real-world problem solving at home, and folks will have the chance to interact with drones, robots, and other interactive experiences.  We hope everyone will have a chance to attend the Ignite My Future family night.

One of things students really enjoy about middle school are the a la carte options at lunch. Students can purchase a variety of items such as ice cream, chips, and cookies in addition to their lunch.  As you can imagine, these items are quite popular.  Students can bring in cash for a la carte or use the money in their lunch account. We encourage families to monitor their students' lunch accounts to make sure that that are comfortable with the amount of money being spent on extra items.  Students can't get a negative balance by purchasing a la carte items, but they can spend down their account faster than anticipated.  No a la carte items are included with a student's lunch. Please keep an eye on your student's account balance through Powerschool. 

Learning another language is fun and a valuable skill.  The district is offering free Spanish classes to anyone who is interested.  Please use this link to find out more information.

Upcoming Events

• 9/20:   Vaccination deadline
• 9/23:   No school-professional development
• 9/23:   Ignite My Future family night
• 10/1:   Picture retakes 
• 10/21: Family night 
• 10/23: Fall conferences 

Week of September 9

Last week was an amazing one concluding with our first dance on Friday.  It was the best attended dance in recent memory and the students did an amazing job.  Special thanks to Mr. Miller and the Student Leadership Team for organizing the dance and to all of our chaperones.  A picture of the rocking dance action is below. Please keep an eye on the LMS events calendar for upcoming dances and let me know if you'd like to chaperone.  The mountain bikes we received through the Outride grant also arrived last week.  Please see the picture of our bikes below.  Our PE teachers are excited to integrate these awesome bikes into their classes.  

At LMS our fundamental purpose is student learning.   In support of our purpose, the Scout Learning Lab (SLL) is available to provide the time and support for students to complete work deficiencies and to gain understanding of the necessary concepts required for mastery of content. A deficiency might include, but is not limited to, incomplete or failed assignments, projects, or any assigned task important to the learning process.  SLL will be available before school, after school, during lunch, and on designated Saturday mornings.  We are committed to partnering with parents and students to ensure academic excellence.  Please click on the link above to learn more about SLL and to see this year's dates for Saturday SLL. 

Unfortunately vaping is a problem facing our young people.  Nicotine is highly addictive and many see vaping as a safe alternative to cigarettes.  Vaping devices are intentionally designed to look like innocent materials such as flash drives and pens.  The exhaled vapor is harder to detect than traditional cigarettes and the flavored juices make vaping accessible to students.  Please talk to your student about vaping and be on the look out for devices.  It's unsafe, illegal, and dangerous.  Here is a link to some recent articles on the dangers of vaping. 

Upcoming Events

• 9/9:     September PTO meeting 
• 9/20:   Vaccination deadline
• 9/23:   No school-professional development
• 10/1:   Picture retakes 
• 10/21: Family night 
• 10/23: Fall conferences 

Week of September 2

Another great week is underway at LMS and we are off to a roaring start.  Cross country, football, and volleyball all have their first competition this week.  The students and coaches have been working hard and we are looking forward to seeing them in action.  Please remember that academic eligibility is checked weekly for students in activities.  We will check grades this Friday and students who are earning failing grades will not be able to compete until all of their grades are above passing.

The deadline for vaccinations is quickly approaching.  Wyoming statute requires all students to be current on their vaccinations to attend school.  The vaccination deadline is 30 calendar days after the start of school which is Friday, September 20th.  For more information regarding vaccination requirements, including information on vaccination waivers, please visit the Wyoming Department of Health.  Students who are not current on their vaccinations may be excluded from school after the 20th.

The first dance of the school year is this Friday, September 6th from 3:00-5:00.  Admission is $4 and concessions will be available.  All middle school students who are in good standing are encouraged to attend.  In order to be in good standing, a student cannot be suspended on Friday.  We are always looking for chaperones.  If you would like to chaperone, please email me or call the school at 721-4430.  If your student attends the dance, please pick them up, or make other arrangements, so they can leave the school promptly at 5:00.

All students had their pictures taken last Tuesday.  If you would still like to order pictures, you can do so by visiting mylifetouch.com and using our picture day code. (CG219392Y0)  Retakes are on  Tuesday, October 1st for those students who missed picture day or would like to get an even better picture.

Upcoming Events

• 9/6:     First dance
• 9/9:     September PTO meeting 
• 9/20:   Vaccination deadline
• 9/23:   No school-professional development
• 10/1:   Picture retakes 
• 10/23: Fall conferences 

Week of August 26

We would like to cordially invite all families to back to school night from 5:30-7:15 pm on Tuesday, August 27th. Families will follow their student's schedule and attend each class for approximately 7 minutes starting with Scouts for Scouts (S4S) and going through all 8 periods.  This will provide you with the opportunity to meet your student's teachers and discover what they will be learning. Due to space considerations, we ask that you attend without your student(s).  Your student can help you fill out this form so you know which classes to attend.  Maps will be available.

Tuesday is also picture day.  All students will have their pictures taken and receive a new student ID.  You can order your student's pictures by going to mylifetouch.com.  Our picture day ID is CG219392Y0.  Students can also get a picture packet during lunch on Monday. 

Thursday, August 29th is the last day for schedule changes.  Students can request a schedule change by filling out the form available in the main office and returning it there for administrative approval.  Schedule change requests can be made for the following reasons:

• A student does not have the prerequisites for the class (ex. in Spanish 2, hasn't taken Spanish 1)
• There is an obvious error
• You are misplaced in a class (ex. 7th grader in 8th grade science) 
• The schedule is unbalanced (ex. 2 PE classes in one semester)
• A student wants to change their choice of elective class 

It has been a great start to the year.  Thank you for sharing your student with us.  We hope to see you all at back to school night on Tuesday!

Upcoming Events

• 8/27: 1st block day
• 8/27: Picture day
• 8/27: Back to school night
• 9/2:   No school-Labor Day
• 9/6:   First dance
• 9/9:   September PTO meeting 
• 9/23: No school-professional development

Week of August 19

We couldn't be more ready for our students to return on Wednesday, August 21st!  Our theme for 2019-20 is “Don’t limit your challenges, challenge your limits.”   Middle school is a time of learning, exploration, growth, and development.  All of us will face challenges this year as we learn new skills, try new classes or activities, and work to become better people.  Challenge is an opportunity for growth.  We are not going to shrink from challenges, but instead embrace them, learn from them, and overcome them.

The first day of school is a half day.  Students should report to their S4S teacher at 8:00.  Students will be with their S4S teachers all day. LMS students will be dismissed at 11:23 on Wednesday and the buses will run normally.  Please have plans for your student to ride the bus home, get picked up, or walk so they are off campus promptly after school. We have a full afternoon of staff development, so there will not be anyone available to supervise students after school.  Breakfast will be served on Wednesday, but lunch will not.

The beginning of the year is a good time to review our attendance procedures.  Please have your student in school, on time, every day.  Our attendance goal for the year is 95%.  To earn 95% attendance, students need to miss 9 days or less.  This does not include absences for school activities. Anytime a student arrives after 8:05 am, they must check in at the attendance office.  If students arrive after 8:10, they will be considered absent for 1st period. If your student is gone, please call the 24-hour attendance line (721-4553) to report their absence. If you know in advance that your student will be absent, please obtain a pre-arranged form from the attendance office and provide a note.  This should be done two or more days in advance.   A pre-arranged form is only necessary if your student is going to be gone for more than one day.  If your students needs to check out, please call in advance so we can locate your student and have them ready to go.  You will need to sign your student out in the attendance office by completely filling out the check out book.  When picking up your student, please allow enough time for them to retrieve their belongings and for you to sign them out.

It's going to be a great year at LMS.  We appreciate your continued support and input.  We recognize the tremendous trust you have extended by sharing your student with us and we do not take that responsibility lightly.  It is our goal to make this the best year yet for all of our students and we are willing to do whatever it takes to make that happen.

 Upcoming Events

• 8/21: First day of classes
• 8/27: Picture day
• 8/27: Back to school night
• 9/6: First dance

Week of May 20

It's the last Monday of the year at Laramie Middle School.  It's been an exciting roller coaster ride and we are planning to finish strong.  Thank you for your support and dedication throughout the year, it is appreciated.  Unfortunately, if you were hoping to purchase an award-winning LMS yearbook to commemorate the school year, they are sold out. 

A huge congratulation to Mrs. Simmons in the PE department.  Mrs. Simmons was the lead on a successful grant application for the Specialized Riding for Focus grant from the @thespecializedfoundation. We could not be more excited about this opportunity to get more kids on bikes and bring a cycling program to our physical education classes. LMS will be receiving 26 mountain bikes and helmets as a result of Mrs. Simmons' efforts that will be put to use beginning in the 2019-2020 school year.

The last dance of the school year is this Wednesday, May 22nd from 3-5 in the LMS gym.  Please note the time change.  This dance was originally scheduled for 6-8 but was moved by student request.  All LMS students in good standing (not suspended) are welcome to attend.  Admission is $4.  Please email me if you are interested in chaperoning. 

The LMS PTO is sponsoring the 8th grade ice cream social on Wednesday, May 29th at 2:00 pm.  All 8th grade students will be treated to a delicious bowl of ice cream with all of the toppings.  Please visit the LMS PTO Facebook page for more information or if you can help out.

The 8th grade class will be going to LHS on the afternoon of the 30th for transition activities.  Students will be boarding buses at approximately 12:30 to head to the high school.  They will eat lunch there and the LHS staff will lead students through a variety of transition programming.  Students will return to LMS prior to dismissal.  If you have any questions, please contact Mr. Kern at the high school.

Upcoming Events:

• May 22                       Last dance of the year
• May 27                       No school-Memorial Day
• May 29                       8th grade ice cream social
• May 31                       Last day for students (1/2 day) 
• June 3                         First day of summer school

Week of May 6

The Hapi-ness 5K is this Saturday!  If you pre-registered great.  If not, there is still time to register.  You can do so in the main office or on the morning of the race.  Registration opens at 8 am and the race starts at 9.  Please join us for a fun run that supports a great cause. 

LARAMIE MIDDLE SCHOOL YEARBOOKS ARE IN!!! Anyone who pre-ordered a yearbook has received their copies, and at this time we still have 150 left to sell. Those will go quick, so make sure to grab one before they are gone. Books will be available for purchase during lunch. They are still only $40, and we can accept cash or check.

Please join me in congratulating Mr. Nate Reitzel on being selected as the 2019 LMS Teacher of the Year.  Mr. Reitzel is an art teacher at LMS.  He teachers graphic design, pub photo (yearbook), and other art classes.  Under Mr. Reitzel's direction, the LMS Scout has been recognized as an award winning yearbook for the last four years.  Mr. Reitzel also proctors the Scout Studio after school providing students with another opportunity to create art.  Mr. Reitzel is a positive, student-centered teacher who loves working with middle level students.  Congratulations Mr. Reitzel on being named the LMS Teacher of the Year.

There will be no Scout Learning Lab or late bus after school on Thursday, May 9th due to professional development.  All students should go directly home after school. 

Upcoming Events:

• April 16- May 10       WYTOPP testing
• May 9                         No SLL or late bus
• May 22                       Last dance of the year
• May 27                       No school-Memorial Day
• May 29                       8th grade ice cream social
• May 31                       Last day for students (1/2 day) 
• June 3                         First day of summer school

Week of April 29

It looks like winter is coming back for an encore this week.  Please keep an eye on the weather and send your student dressed appropriately.  Wacky weather is just part of what makes living in Wyoming great. In addition to being winter 2.0, this week is the last week of WYTOPP testing for LMS students.  We will follow our normal schedule as it relates to block days (M,Th,F-All; T-Odd, W-Even).  We appreciate how hard students have been working.  Results will be available before the end of the school year. 

Many of our students like to order food to be delivered during lunch.  There is nothing wrong with that as long as the logistics work out.  Students will not be dismissed from class to pay for a delivery and lunch periods will not be extended for students whose deliveries are late.  It is highly recommended that all food deliveries are paid for ahead of time and made it a timely manner so students are able to eat their food during their assigned lunch period. If this is not possible, we request that students enjoy one of our delicious entrees or bring lunch from home. 

Students in Mrs. Heggie's 8th grade cooking class recently completed the annual cake contest.  All of the students did a great job.  Our winners were:

• 1st Place Carl the Hedgehog by Irys Linsdey, Hannah Dorminy, Michael Pikal, and Aver Hilton
• 2nd Place: Cabin Getaway by Emmitt Gray, Anthony Noecker, and Damien Casillias
• 3rd Place: Roger the Shark's Day at the Beach by Jeremy Rucinski, Baily Isaak, and Ava McCarthy

Order your award winning LMS yearbook soon from yearbookforever.com.  Don't miss out on your chance to own a piece of history! Pre-orders must be completed by May 9th.

Eighth grade students interested in participating in the color guard should attend the clinics May 6-8 from 6-7 pm in the Laramie High School cafeteria.  Official tryouts are on May 14th from 6-8 pm in the LHS band room.

Upcoming Events:

• April 16- May 10       WYTOPP testing
• May 22                       Last dance of the year
• May 27                       No school-Memorial Day
• May 29                       8th grade ice cream social
• May 31                       Last day for students (1/2 day) 
• June 3                         First day of summer school

Week of April 22

This week is the second week of WYTOPP testing.  To accommodate testing, we will have four block days this week.  Tuesday and Thursday are 'odd' days while Wednesday and Friday are 'even' days.  There is S4S on all block days.  Instruction occurs normally in classes that are not testing and our schedule is not disrupted.  Thank you for sending your student to school ready to learn and rested everyday, especially during testing.  

Throughout the year we've examined the age old question, "why do I have to learn this?" Through the So What? series.  This month we are looking at social studies.  The information below outlines how what students are learning in social studies connects to their lives outside of school and helps them prepare to become productive citizens.  Information is also displayed in the bulletin board outside of the main office. 

Sixth grade social studies focus on the transmission of culture and development of civilizations.  One such example is students researching their cultural heritage and doing a report to show how the United States truly is a melting pot of various ethnicities and values.  Another way we make history relevant is by examining ancient civilizations, specifically their government, economy, beliefs, traditions, social hierarchy, and other various aspects that make up human culture.  We draw parallels to modern day cultures and societies during each unit so that at the end of the year when they do their final project, create a civilization, they are able to decide for themselves what elements would make the best society.  Knowing how cultures developed and spread across the world helps students understand the complex geopolitical landscape we live in.  

In 7th grade, students research elements of Roman cities and how the Romans built their cities. Based on their research, students create a Roman City map. Then students compare their maps to a map of Laramie and other modern maps. Having done that, students evaluate and explain the tremendous influence the ancient Romans have had on the way we build our cities as many of the elements are very similar, including the two main streets concept, grid plan, and the inclusion of public works. Some related job fields to this research include engineering, city planning, construction, architecture, Geographic Information Systems (GIS), and public works related jobs.

Eighth grade students student American History which is not just learning about dead people and past events. History is how we interpret the actions of these people and events to make informed decisions for the present and the future. This will help you understand the perspectives of other people, which is crucial for being a good citizen.

In 8th Grade American History, students learn about the story of the United States, which begins even before the Declaration of Independence was signed in 1776. Students go back all the way to the early cultures of North America and end the class with the Civil War and Reconstruction. In addition, they dive in to primary and secondary historical sources and learn how to analyze them.  Using both types of sources give students a more complete view of historical events. It also teaches students to make informed decisions and cite evidence which are applicable skills in all professions.

American History addresses a broad period of time beginning with a comparison of the First American group and the ways different groups interacted with each other. The course of study moves through European exploration and colonization leading to the formation of the original 13 English Colonies. Next is the American Revolution followed by the formation of our modern nation.  Students identify their rights as American citizens in the unit which looks at the creation of the U.S. Constitution. Following, eight grade students examine the expansion of the United States, compare the economic systems of the North and South, study the Civil War, Reconstruction, and the rebuilding the United States. Knowing where we've been as a country helps students lead us into the future.  Students also need to know their rights so they can be active participants in our democracy. 

Upcoming Events:

• April 16- May 10       WYTOPP testing
• May 22                       Last dance of the year
• May 27                       No school-Memorial Day
• May 29                       8th grade ice cream social
• May 31                       Last day for students (1/2 day) 
• June 3                         First day of summer school